Don’t Sleep on These 2 TE Targets for the Broncos

The Denver Broncos decided to retain their tight end room and have yet to add outside talent to bolster it. That's created some concern in the fan base, given that for two years in a row, Denver's tight end room ranked in the bottom five in the NFL.

That trend held true even after adding Evan Engram in March of 2025. So not all outside additions pan out, but doing nothing definitely won't improve the situation.

Now, this is a great tight end class. Though not as top-heavy as the 2025 class, there is great depth, and the strength is in the 100-175 range with these tight ends, and the Broncos have three selections over that span.

Today, I'm highlighting two such tight ends with condensed scouting reports in a continuation of our annual Finding Broncos draft series. We'll weigh the pros and cons and assess each prospect's fit.

Background

Roush was rated as a four-star recruit by multiple outlets entering college. He spent all four years at Stanford and appeared in all 48 games.

Roush improved each season and saw more and more usage every year, going from a special teams player to an offensive weapon, and becoming one of the top tight end prospects in the class.

Stats

With 2,479 total snaps on offense, 1,374 of them came as a blocker, and 1,009 as a run blocker. So there is plenty of tape on Roush's blocking ability.

He has four touchdowns in his career, two each in 2024 and 2025, but 13 drops, seven of which came in 2025, as well as a fumble.

Pros

The lineage and athletic traits run in his family. He is praised for his football IQ and his ability to pick things up quickly. Those traits should speed up his transition to the NFL by helping him learn offenses quickly. All the intangible boxes have been checked.

Roush's blocking was of such high quality that he was used as, and trusted as, an extra offensive lineman who could still pose a threat as a receiver. His bend and pad level are consistent and proper, as evidenced by his success as a blocker.

When Roush gets the ball in his hands, he makes an impact after the catch because of his physical running style and the difficulty of bringing him down. He is also enough of an athlete to work in a variety of ways in the passing offense to be a real math-changer as a Y-tight end.

Roush can climb, pull, get in front of screens, work with tackles on combo blocks, block out of the backfield, and block in the slot for supreme versatility. His footwork as a blocker and hand technique are clean and consistent.

Cons

Stanford Cardinal tight end Sam Roush (86) breaks a tackle by Wake Forest Demon Deacons defensive back Zamari Stevenson (17). | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

Some of Roush's bad habits can lead to penalties in the NFL, like holding and even hooking defenders' arms to disrupt their momentum. There aren’t many other issues on tape with his blocking, though his length is going to drive some people away from him.

However, there are a ton of issues with Roush's play as a receiver, including unnatural hands that fight the ball, leading to double catches and drops. He also struggles to stack defenders through his route, especially when working against man coverage.

Roush's arms give him a short catch radius, and he can struggle with adjusting to throws that aren’t directly on target. There is plenty of size, but he doesn’t use it to his advantage as a receiver, failing to box out defenders and leading to more contested catches than you want to see. Separation is something extremely important for achieving success at the NFL level.

Penalties are an issue, but Roush did show signs of improvement in 2025. His receiving stats at Stanford are great, but there are serious doubts about his ability to have that level of impact in the NFL.

Fit With the Broncos

The Broncos need to improve their blocking from the position, and Roush could help if they are okay with his lack of length. The Broncos also need more receiving ability from the position, which is where Roush has more concerns about making the jump to the NFL.

If he can be a math-changer as a Y-tight end, he would be a great fit for the Broncos, both with their scheme, personnel, and future outlook at the position.

Grade

Eli Raridon. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Background

Raridon grew up destined to follow in his father's footsteps to Notre Dame. He was all over the place by different outlets entering college, and he suffered a delay after an ACL tear during a high school basketball game, only to tear the same ACL in October 2022, which caused him to miss two seasons essentially.

Stats

Raridon has played 1,313 snaps, with 883 as a blocker. He caught three touchdown passes between 2023 and 2024, despite having only 16 receptions.

He had three drops in 2025 and four in his career on only 66 targets and 48 receptions during his collegiate career.

Pros

The bloodline is there, and Raridon is a great athlete with a great frame that has room to add more mass. While he has limited exposure, he shows the traits to be effective as a receiver as a rookie, especially in the red zone, with his athleticism, size, and length. There is good strength and explosiveness that show as a receiver and as a blocker.

Raridon's awareness as a receiver is there to find the soft spot in zones and make himself a target for his quarterback. He also knows how to use his size and frame to keep the catch point protected by boxing out defenders. His route running is also surprisingly nuanced, and he doesn’t make his routes easy to read or jump by defenders.

Raridon has solid sustain on his blocks and starts, with good footwork and strong hands. He keeps his feet and legs driving to move defenders, and his hand placement is consistently on point. There is technical work to be done, but Raridon shows the desire and effort you want to see as a blocker.

Cons

Raridon's medical issues and lack of experience are the biggest factors in his evaluation. There are so few reps, and his career stats as a receiver are what you want to see in one year, not over an entire collegiate career. Obviously, you’re not getting that due to two seasons being almost completely wiped out.

Despite Raridon's athleticism, he doesn’t show it much after the catch and can be easily brought down. He's a tall player, and he plays tall, exposing his base and making it easier for defenders to tackle him. There are also concerns about his ability to work from an in-line position.

Raridon's awareness as a blocker is lacking when climbing or pulling, and he has issues adjusting to incoming defenders. He might be a big slot as a rookie, and even in Year 2, but the potential to be an in-line player is there with further development, both technically and in his frame.

Fit With the Broncos

The fit with Denver is quite good for Raridon, as he could see the field as a rookie and give them an option to replace Engram in the slot in 2027, and maybe beyond if he doesn’t develop into a true Y-tight end.

If Raridon develops, he would give the Broncos what they need from their primary in-line tight end. He'd provide options, depending on how he develops.

Grade

Sign up for our free Denver Broncos On SI newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Add us as a preferred source on Google